


One Moment

by phoenixreal_gaming (phoenixreal)



Series: Draken, Priestess of Drendari [2]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Scarred Lands (Roleplaying Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 12:38:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11185305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixreal/pseuds/phoenixreal_gaming
Summary: Draken visits the Palace of Shadows





	One Moment

It was as though the air itself were shimmering before their eyes.

  
           Marcus looked back and forth between Draken and Cadence.  "What's that?"  
           Draken shrugged, but pulled her mace loose from the sheath. Marcus and Cadence also unsheathed their swords and waited.  The shimmering coalesced into a rip of some sort in the very air.  One thick, masculine leg exited followed by a tall, dark figure of a human male.  He grinned at them and stepped forward directly for Draken.  The others tensed but Draken simply went slack.  
           "Um, who's this?" Marcus said.  "He looks familiar."  
           "Twilight," she breathed, looking up into his dark eyes.  He stood somewhat taller than she did and as each time she had seen him, he had the sideways grin upon his face.  
           "Glad to see you recognize me.  Always good to know that our high priestesses know my name even when I show up in front of them," he said reaching out for her hand.  "Come, the Mistress awaits."  
           She reached out, as though in trance and grasped his hand, and he pulled her to him, putting an arm around her back.  
           "What's happening?" she heard Ide's voice ask from nearby. "Where are you taking her?"  
           Twilight looked over his shoulder and grinned.  "Just wait here, she'll be right back."  
           And just as quickly she was pulled into the shimmering rip in space.  
           One moment, she was one place.  The next, she was spinning through the darkness, and she was quite sure she did not know where she was going.  She felt solid ground under her feet, and she opened her eyes to see the darkness and shadows.

"Draken Darknight, last remaining daughter of Kieran and Astarra Darknight, High Priestess of Drendari, Shadowhanded Prophetess, and the Dark Rose of Mithril…or I guess that title is yet to come, isn't it...  Did I get them all?" he said as they stood in this somewhere else.  "I suppose I could add, the lady Chauncy Druester, and Sanna Lightner, and Chauntea as of late.  Isn't it our kind that always ends up with the line of aliases and names?  I mean, Twilight, that's just one of mine as well!"  
           Draken looked to either side of her, and then up, as she nodded in agreement.  She was disorientated, a great deal disorientated. It was like shadow walking, but so different.  Almost instantaneous.  She looked down.  She stood here, wherever here was, in her clothes.  This wasn't a dream.  This wasn't a vision.  She stood here as she really was, Draven's haircut, and Draven's tattoo and all.  She wore her clothes, her armor, and belt pouches.  It was as though she'd been plucked from the real world, to here.  It seemed to all have been real indeed.  But where was here?  
           She looked around, her vision somewhat clearing.  It was not quite dark enough to see with her newly acquired darkvision, but it was plenty dark still.  She stood on the doorstep to a great castle of some sort, but it was surreal.  She felt someone watching and she turned and saw great shadow mastiffs watching her curiously from around the yard.  The great castle stretched as far as she could see in all directions. But at the edge, there was utter darkness.  It almost seemed as though a great barrier existed around it that was impenetrable.  
           Draken was simply in a fugue.  She reached out and touched flesh, not shadowstuff or dream mist.  Yes, it was flesh, a real man that stood before her, Drendari's own herald, and perhaps, most prominent lover. Up close, Draken could understand her infatuation with the man.  He was handsome, and built well.  He carried himself with the grace of a cat, and looked as though he had muscle to back it up with as well.  He took her by the hand and led her into a grand hallway.  His hand was strong, and yet.the touch was light as a kiss of shadow.  
           "Where am I?" she whispered.  
           There was a chuckle in his voice as he answered, "Home, dear Draken, the Palace of Shadows."  
           As they walked, she saw shadows, shadow mastiffs, and other creatures she could not identify.  There were people that looked to be mortal, dressed darkly, and had she not had darkvision, they would have snuck right up on her.  She and Twilight walked for a long while, and Draken watched as room after room passed by her.  She heard laughter, and crashes, and smelled foods as well as fouler things as they walked.  They soon came to a great set of double doors.  All over them, shadows writhed, though not in agony, it was as if they writhed in pleasure.  They whispered of wonderful things, and Draken's ears caught each word.  Well, they were wonderful if you were a Drendarite.  
           He pushed the doors open and they entered a throne room of sorts.  It had high vaulted ceilings and shadowy visages moved here and there.  And there, in the center sat a throne of shadows.  It was a great curving thing, that looked like it should be made of ivory or some other substance, but shadows writhed upon each surface, giving the whole thing a blurry look.  Waves of shadow undulated away from it and across the vast room.  Upon it, sat the figure of which Draken had spent her life in pursuit of pleasing.  She sat, leaning back, her clothes, as Draken had seen before, the stuff of shadows, writhing and caressing her perfect ivory skin.  She smiled, and the smile of amusement reached her vaguely almond-shaped eyes, and Twilight moved to stand beside her.  He placed a hand on her shoulder. Draken stood before her, nearly shaking in awe and fear.  She'd seen her before, but those were visions.  Those weren't real, this, this was real.  
           "Welcome, my high priestess.  I hope Twilight didn't frighten you," she said softly, slowly petting Twilight's arm as she spoke. "Sometimes, he can be a brute."  She grinned wickedly at up at him, her eyes glittering as she did so.  "But then sometimes that's a good thing."  Twilight only whispered something to her, and she nodded.  Then she turned her attention to Draken fully.  
           "The time is close at hand, and it is time to bestow what I have long waited to bestow on a mortal servant.  Many years have passed, and many times I have wished to once more allow one of my favored to walk among the mortals, but I have not.  Partially, there was no one that lived that would have amused me to do so with. My faith is a perilous thing, and most slide into the darkness and never return.  Dealing with creatures that are, in most cases, thoroughly evil, is sometimes more than a soul can bear.  This still pleases me, except in some cases, when my folk tread the path so deep that Vangal becomes more appealing.  Now, that annoys me.  I usually try to eliminate them, when the thought occurs. Some lose their ability to understand the dark.  These take the lighter path, and while that also still pleases me, it is not what I needed to have," she crossed one shapely leg over the other and seemed to think.  The shadows shifted back and forth, covering and uncovering her as she sat there.  
           "So, I took a pair of Faithful.  Long time Faithful, both had been, and their families both had been Faithful for generations.  They perhaps did not know exactly how popular my faith was with both of their family lines, for some of them had been secret worshippers."  She grinned. "I of course was waiting for the right time, for the Temple below Mithril had already been built by myself and Corean.

"Imagine that, can't you, me and that shiny codger, working together.  Oh it was great fun, especially placing my favorite nasty beasts within.  Oh, his face!  What was more fun was playing with…"  She paused, shrugging and nearly giggling with glee. 

"I digress, delightfully, I might add, but still I digress. I knew, as did he, that our foes were not gone.  It is deliciously ironic that my eternal enemy would become such a threat to his favored city.  And further ironic that his shining ones continued to destroy their best ally.  True, I dislike loss of my subjects, but in the end, what are a few lost minions."  
           She rang a bell and a shadowy form entered holding a tray of goblets.  She took one, and Twilight took one.  Then the servant brought the tray to Draken's side.  She stared at it for long enough that Twilight spoke up.  
           "Take one, child, we would not offer if we did not desire you to take it," he said, drinking of his own goblet.  
           Draken picked up the goblet.  It seemed to have been carved of a single piece of onyx.  Inlaid around the base were black pearls, and each pearl was outlined in silver.  The silver outline of the handprint holy symbol adorned the front of the goblet, and inside some liquid shifted when she took it.  Smoke rose from the cup, as if shadowstuff actually made up the drink.  
           "Now, refresh yourself, and I will continue," she said, gesturing with her own goblet to Draken, who took a sip, very carefully. She wrinkled her brow, for it tasted like nothing she'd ever tasted of.  It was almost like sweet wine, but there was some other taste.  
           "Well, I 'aided' your conception a little…or a lot…but ah, the twin factor was not one I counted on.  I was truly only expecting one child. But I was pleased nonetheless when two were within your mother.  I did visit and mark you both before you were born, but you…you were the one that I kissed upon the forehead when you were born.  The Third Eye Mark, which, one day, others will be able to see, once your power is revealed.  Your father and mother wondered that you did not cry, and the reason was because I held you already.  You do not remember, but shadows kept you company until I moved you from the place of your parents' apparent demise.  That was the true reason you did not fret, because you were never alone."  She smiled, drinking of her cup once more.  
           "I was pleased with both of you, but you were to be tested more than your sister.  You were given to Ashedon Shadowheart, who I knew would put you in the proper place with the aid of my steering.  I needed to make sure there was some structure, or I would have failed once again.  And you pleased me greatly as your desire to be with your kind drove you into Stormside again and again, heedless of the danger to a child, and later a young attractive girl.  You lacked something, yet.  You knew you were mine, and you blindly followed that path to your near destruction.  I feared that the visions I sent you would drive you mad, but you had to be tested.  You persevered, but you nearly became suicidal in your desire to please me, and while amusing, was not what I needed you to be.  Your friends perished, and sometimes I believe you wanted to die with them.  
           "Ah, and another account, speaking of your friends, don't worry about your former cohort, Shadow, I believe you called him." she paused. "Not very inventive I might add…but anyhow, worry not for him, for he came home to me.  
           "Your sister's death displeased me, but your practicality and willingness to allow her to help you as her final wish did please me, and you did well.  Her willingness to make that gesture was something to make me happy as well.  Of course, you've pleased me most by taking over where dear Belantra left off."  
           Draken felt her face redden at the mention of Belantra's tasks. She meant Marcus, of course.  She drank a deep draught of the cup she was holding.  Her head was feeling strange, not like being intoxicated, but different.  It was as though the slightest movement caught her attention.  
           "You know, purity isn't one of my requirements," she said, winking at Draken and leaning forward, the shadows shifting as she did over her own ample bosom, and Draken felt her face redden even more.  "But you have managed to be entrancing enough even without lying with men, or even women.  To be certain, for a while I was certain it was women you preferred. Of course, that's common among my female priestesses.  Seems they fall in love with me, which is always amusing.  I do try to please them, if they truly want to please me.  Of course, if you do manage to bed that paladin, I would be greatly amused.  Especially if you managed to bed him out of wedlock.  I don't care if you do marry him, but do try to at least entice him to bed before hand.  It will simply make me laugh."  
           Drendari giggled and the ringing of her laughter sprang about the room.  Draken had dropped her eyes.  What was she talking about…she wasn't going to do that…that wasn't…  
           Drendari suddenly was standing before her.  Draken looked up. "You may not even know yourself, but I do.  I've embraced you, and you were yet a child.  But once you realize that you really are no longer a child, and are a woman, then you will receive my full blessing."  She leaned very close, her lips almost touching Draken's, and her breath-for to Draken's surprise, gods do breathe-warming her face. "Chosen.  You are my Chosen.  You are my Angel of Shadows, my Whisper of Twilight.   You are a woman, as you so brazenly informed Twilight as he stood waiting to claim your soul beside what would have become your deathbed."  
           Draken's mind reeled.  That's why he'd been in her mind?  He'd been there to take her soul when she died?  Did that mean that she had been that close to the brink, and her own willpower had saved her?  
           "Yes," her goddess whispered.  "It did save you," Draken realizing that at least surface thoughts can be read by her goddess, at least most certainly here.  "You are strong of spirit.  You staved off the silent one's book for a little longer.  Much longer, I hope, longer now with my aid. Now, back to this Chosen bit."  
           She stood up straight once more.  "The third eye circlet, my dear," she said.  Draken looked at her open hand.  She hesitated, and then grabbed it from her pouch, handing over the item she'd had crafted. Drendari lifted it and examined it.  Then she touched the pearl in the center.  A small explosion of shadows erupted from her fingertip and encompassed the circlet.  She then placed it on Draken's head.  She smiled and looked at her.  The circlet felt as light as a band of shadowstuff.  
           "A prophetess indeed.  The third eye circlet becomes the Prophet's Tear.  I've 'enhanced' it for you.  You'll find out when the time is right.  Just one warning,” she said leaning closer and whispered, “Don’t let anyone else wear it…they’d be in for a nasty…well, just don’t let them even pick it up, if you don’t want to be curing frostbite.  Now, what else, it has been a long time since I've done this." 

Twilight cleared his throat.  "Ah yes," she said, turning around and taking a necklace from him and a pair of earrings.  "Here we are," she said, placing the amulet around her neck gently, and holding up an earring identical to the ones she wore now, save the color was smoky silver instead of solid silver.  She gently removed her silver teardrop earrings and replaced them with the smokey colored ones. 

"Normally, I don't present these things in person, but you know, you're my high priestess after all.  Of course, this one is special," she said pointing to the amulet.   "Just for you, because after all, the reasons for giving it are a little different than normal."  She grinned and leaned closer for a second before laughing.  
           Draken stared down at the disk of onyx-like material inlaid with a double helix patter around the edge in silver, and back up. It was nondescript, except the interior seemed to have silver flecks in it.  On the back, the word "Shadowhanded" was inscribed in the written form of the shadow tongue.  The goddess stood there, her hands interlocked, a grin upon her face.  Twilight simply stared at her with an amused look.  Draken wanted to ask what it was, exactly, but she wasn't sure that perhaps it was nothing more than a disk of onyx.  A gift from a goddess, magic or mundane, was a great thing.  She touched the earrings, and they, like the circlet, felt light as a feather.  She was stunned, but no more than she would be soon.

Drendari then reached out and grasped both sides of her face and kissed her. When she did, the world exploded before her eyes, and suddenly many things became clear.  The visions became clearer, and their meanings.  Things that had been muddled before, and unsure, were now ironclad and simple in her mind.  The world was simple and each riddle of life was answered in a second's breath.  Then passed into her mind her Mistress in her darkest pain, the revelations that were not given to any.  Captured, tortured, and finally freed, and the dark path of vengeance that laid open to her.  And thus the war began, but it was not only the Penumbral Lords, it was the others that had caused her pain; the Penumbral Lords, who called her a pretender, they were the pretenders.  Thieves of Drendari's magic!  But the others were gone, and now the Penumbral Lords were who hated them so much.  They hated Drendari.  They hated her even more than Drendari herself hated her captors, for the evil ran deep in them.  The path of vengeance though led not to happiness or even satisfaction, but to war, and now it was time to try to end that war.  
           But there, in the back of her mind, something blossomed, something that perhaps the goddess had not entirely intended.  Draken saw her Mistress, and her mother, and she saw Drendari embracing Astarra, but then merging with her.  Then she saw her mother kissing her father.wait.did that mean.  
           Drendari's embrace ended, leaving Draken feeling so weak that she nearly fell to her knees.  Someone supported her, though, who?  She glanced, on either side of her, were shadows.  On one, was Belantra, on the other Draven.  When had they arrived?  Or had they always been there?  She was beginning to understand that the two were more than she believed.  They were her sisters, both of them.  
           Drendari stepped back.  "My Prophetess of Shadows, my Whisper of Twilight, you are Chosen.  When the time comes, I have Penumbral turncoats in my ranks, which might be able to give you information on the coming trials, and I will either call you back here to impart it, or I will simply speak to you in your prayer time.  Until then, gather your followers in my name.  Unite those who cannot be united.  Now sleep."  
           Suddenly, it all faded to black, and she collapsed into the arms of her shadow sisters.  They lowered her gently to the ground. In Draken’s mind, the world was cool and quiet, and the comforting shadows blanketed the deepest vision.  
           Drendari's face became serious as she looked to Twilight.  "The triune is nearly broken.  The centerpiece though, remains.  The other two may still support from here. Even in death, their strength is great.  They were able to teach her the two things that she had forgotten.  Now to see if she can put it to use. It is well that she did not perish before now.  Now, even if she does, she will still walk the mortal world."  
           Twilight went to pick her up, and Drendari laid a hand on his. "No, I will do this.  It was I that took her the first time, and it is I who will do so now."  
           "Mistress, I must ask.  Tell me if I am out of line.  She is your own, is she not?" Twilight said as he straightened up, staring into his Mistress's dark eyes where eternity swam.  She smiled.  
           "Yes," she whispered.  "She is still of Astarra's flesh.  Of a sort.  I laid with Astarra before her birth to conceive her.  I then took the chance, giving her the kiss of prophecy before birth.  All the others that I've given the kiss to after they were born were driven mad.  So I decided to start before she was born.  I was hoping if I strengthened her with my own blood, she might persevere.  I will admit, the one called Belantra was also my hand, though not quite as heavy as this one.  Belantra was merely touched by me, and Draven, somehow did not get so heavy of an influence, though her carnality was evident."  
           She started to pick her up, limp in spellsleep, but paused, kneeling beside her.  She stared down into the perfect ivory face, eyes closed in a very gentle sleep, filled with dreams of shadow caresses.  She’d be quite refreshed and invigorated with she woke. 

Drendari’s eye followed the length of her body.  She was not a battle priestess, that was certain.  She ran a hand across her sheaths, pausing at a simple looking rod…and then grinning.  My, my, how appropriate, she thought, as hidden on the base of the rod was a symbol for her father.  Chaos rod, Rod of Wonder, the mortals sometimes called them.  Then, she touched the other rod, the one that looked like a mace.  Handy little thing to pick up, indeed.  Her meager battle prowess would be increased.  She touched the bow across her back. 

“Shadowchill,” she whispered to the bow.  Draken had named it already, and very appropriately.  A good weapon for her faithful.

Draken had certainly been able to acquire quite an arsenal.  That was good, as she would need it.  Drendari’s brow wrinkled a bit as her eyes returned to her face, her slightly almond shaped eyes, and the mark that only Drendari could see on her forehead.  She reached out and straightened Prophet’s Tear, coving the mark exactly with the black pearl.  She was sending her off once more, possibly to a mortal death, and that made her feel…badly?  This one was after all the first true attempt she’d made at uniting her blood with a mortal’s…her true shadow child…

Had she given too much?  Had she indeed given over too much of her power? She grinned, she felt like her father.  Dear Enkili, wouldn't give her any siblings because he was afraid they would be like his dear daughter and eclpse him…or her, whatever her predilection of the moment.  Of course, Draken would one day realize that she hadn't done anything except waken the power that was already within her.  Draken Darknight had been Chosen since before she was born, imbued with perhaps too much of her own self.  It was after all the reason that she'd tread the path so heavy.  When you have a goddess or god involved in your making, you feel more than a small pull to the faith. Either that or to disregard it entirely and run from it. Drendari’s face contorted as the other option, the one that she detested the most ran through her mind. 

It was a wonder that she had been able to live, of course, when you're a child of the shadow goddess, what can you do save walk a path unknown to any but you?  Of course, Draken did not know that fact.  Not yet.  The twin had helped, by separating the carnal side, ensuring that she would not slide into self-decadency and into the worship of Idra, perhaps.  Drendari smiled. Though there were others worse than the sex goddess, she supposed. At least Idra knew one thing; sex and secrets are intertwined.

She shook her head, her own raven locks brushing Draken’s body.  The hair, the eyes, the skin.

"Mistress, next time you might steer them away from looking so much like you." Twilight chimed.

Drendari looked up, striking out with her hand at nothing, and causing Twilight to land on his rear with a whump.  "She looks near enough to Astarra.  That's why I picked that one.  Dark hair, light skin, but the eyes…there are no mistaking the eyes.  It could not be helped, the blood of a goddess is strong, even a ‘demigoddess’ like me."

Drendari laughed as Twilight stood up.  "I know, you're just jealous, you should know better.  I lay with more mortals than one. "  

She paused and rolled her eyes up and seemed to think, and licked her lips. She looked up with hooded eyes at Twilight. “But then Kieran was more fun than most, especially since he thought he lay with his beloved wife…or maybe he did know…”

Twilight grinned, stepping up behind her, grabbing her by the hair, pulling her to a stand and bringing her mouth around.  "But even so, I'm still your favorite," he whispered and kissed her.  She returned the kiss, passionate and fully, wrapping her body up with his as she did so.  "Always," she murmured.

"Enough," she said, pushing him away.  "I'll return her.  She still has much to do, and the powers of the chosen will be awakening soon enough.  This will be such great fun!"  She reached down and picked up the dropped goblet and slipped it into the pouch of her bag.  A little parting gift.

"Of course, soon the truth will be out, that my high priestess was granted the power to resurrect, and whom did she bring back, but a fallen paladin.  Perhaps not so fallen as they might believe.  If she manages to indeed entice him to her…ooh, to see Corean cringe.  Of course, it must already chafe at him that she brought that paladin back.  I already have Hedrada’s grudging respect, after all I did bet that one of my most faithful could bide her time in his temple, and be a better acolyte than any he had there." She laughed out loud and the tinkling of bells sounded across the entirety of her citadel. 

She turned back to Twilight, who stood, his look longing.  “Oh here,” she said and snapped her fingers.

Before Twilight appeared two sinuous females, neither as lovely as his Mistress, but good enough to bide his time while she was gone.  Both were immediately on him, showering him with kisses and licks.  Ah, the joys of having such a goddess as his Mistress.  He grinned at her. 

“Don’t hurt them this time,” she muttered as she lifted Draken’s relatively light body. 

Drendari stared down, then leaned over, whispering in her ear, “Once the time comes, you will appear as you really are, an image of me, with hair like living shadow, and wings of shadow make.  You will be restored and no more will you pretend to be any but my Chosen one.  All will know, and all will respect, and then they will follow you.”

She lifted her head, as smile on her face as she whispered a word of shadowspeech, and a rift in the world appeared.  "Now to go scare the shadowstuff out of any Shadow Walker around, along with anyone else who might be watching…"

She stepped through and out into the light again, standing before those that waited for Draken's return.  She deposited her body gently on the ground at her shadow-clad feet.  Her body writhed still with the shadows, shifting, and entrancing all who could view her.  Roiling shadows poured out of the rift around her, only accenting the ivory skin that could be viewed in patches as though she were painted with them. She winked one of her beautiful eyes, black as night, with the barest hint of flecked silver…

"Ah, bear witness, my Chosen, the Shadowhanded One, has returned," she said, her face serious.  She grinned, and blew a kiss, and returned her form through the rift in space one shapely limb after another, and all around, laughter rang like the tinkling of bells...


End file.
